188 
THE CAYO BOA'ITO. 
than the banks. On a kyer of sand and land shells, five to 
f ® i ° fragmentary niadreporic rock, 
1 ses a forest of mangroves (Ehizophora). Prom their form 
and frbage, they might at a distance be mistaken for laurel 
trees. Ihe Avicenma, the Batis, some smaU Euphorbia, and 
grasses, by the mtertwinmg of their roots, fi.x the moving 
sands. But the characteristic distinction of the Plora oi 
these coral islands, is the magnificent Toiirnefortia gnapha- 
lioides of Jacquin, with silvered leaves, which wo found here 
fertile first tune. This is a social plant, and is a shrub from 
lour feet and a half to five feet high. Its flowers emit an 
(kvo of Cayo Plamenco. 
greater part of the low 
lands of the Jardmillos. While we were employed in 
heiborizing, our sailors were searching among the"^ rocks 
mr lobsters. Disappointed at not finding them, thev 
avenged themselves by climbing on the mangroves and 
making a dreadlul slaughtm- of the young alcatras, grouped 
in pairs in their nests. This name is given in Snaiiish 
America to the brown swan-tailed pelican of Buffbn. \vith 
the want of foresight peculiar to the great pelagic birds, 
fidte Wtf “ \r branches of trees 
unite together. We counted four or five nests on the 
sekes “‘?;;srove. The young birds defended them- 
el\es laliautly nith their enormous beaks, which arc six 
or seven inches long ; the old ones hovered over our heads, 
making hoarse and plaintive cries. Blood streamed from 
H armed with great 
gicks and eu asses (machetes). In vain we reproved them 
soh-fS Condemned to long obedience in the 
exercismg a cruel tyranny over animals, whL occasion 
* \Ve gathered Cenchnis tnyosuroides, Euphorbia buvifolia Batis 
ahbr r; Caur" u, 'i’ournefortia gnaphalioidcf DbrnTede': 
'h’. 1 J cubens a, Dohehos mmiatus, Parthenium hvsterophorus, 
P ^ last-named plant, which we had previouslyfound'in the vallev 
of Caracas and on the temperate tahle-lands of Mexico, between 470 Ld 
900 toises high, covers the fteld.s of the island of Cuba. It is Led bv 
tlie mhabltants for aromalie baths, and to drive awav the fleas whieh are 
so numerous m tropical climates. At Cumaua. the leaves 
ioseX * Of keir sineU, against those annoyi"* ' 
